Day 9: Safi, Morocco – Visit to Marekesh

Sailed all night on rocky seas and awoke to entering the port of Safi as dawn broke on another sunny day. After an early breakfast we set off for a 12 hour tour to Marrakech but no before being advised to leave everything of value behind. On the bus we drove past miles and miles of land where nothing appears to grow. Houses are mud brick dwellings that are plastered with mud on the outside – life looked very difficult. Produce appears mainly, olives and goats. Most of the women in these areas are covered head to toe with bukkas.

Entered Marekesh after 2 hours of driving. It is a city that is growing fast but everything building built looks like it is being thrown together (no wonder everything falls down in earthquakes!). If they forget the plumbing they just push it into the side of the building without a thought to the ascetics.

First we were taken to the old city (Medina) which is inside the centre of Marekesh to see the 12th century Koutoubia minaret and then to the Bahia Palace. Inside we again saw wonderful Moorish (Arab) architecture. Next was the Djema el Fna square where thousands of people mingle to sell goods (mainly to the tourists) and perform. There were merchants everywhere selling spices, dried fruit which looked fantastic but it was suggested that we did not buy any for fear of possibly ruining the rest of our trip. There were snake charmers, acrobats, drummers and monkey acts. He whole place was very loud and exotic. We were forever having snakes placed on our shoulders and if you did not have your camera firmly in your hand the locals would grab it, take a picture and then demand 3 euros! We all quickly tired of the noise and bustle.

Next was a stop at a Persian carpet selling and then onto to his tourist shop. The carpets were fantastic but started off at a very expensive price ($6,0000 USD) which if you bargained well you could get for $1,300. We didn’t bother. His shop was like an Aladdin’s cave but on close inspection looked cheap, dirty and trashy. Most of us felt a little peeved going here as we had passed many great stalls and shops that looked like much better quality and now there was no more time. I’d say there was definitely some deals going on.

Lunch was next in an old palace, we were lead through narrow streets full of vendors to the doorway of the restaurant. You could really get lost in the back streets of Merekesh – and that’s a scary thought! Down we went into the restaurant in found ourselves in a beautiful place. The walls and ceiling completely covered with ornate plasterwork and tiles, the floors were carpeted with rugs in rich colours and glass domed skylights let in rays of filtered light. The food was wonderful and the hot portions was served in tangines. Dessert was thick slices of cooled orange sprinkled with cinnamon – Uhm, try it some time! This was the same restaurant used for the Hitchcock film “The Man Who Knew Too Much”.

Back on the bus and we visited the burial tomb of the kings, back to the square for another onslaught of snakes, monkeys and locals in the various Persian dress wanting you to take a photo. Then it was back on the bus again for the long trip back to the boat. While the day had been good, I’ll definitely place Merekesh on my ‘been there, done that list’ and leave it at that.

Just as you’d think they day was finished as we headed into port there was a dead body on the road (hit by a car, I’d guess). The bus simply swerved around it and drove on – life is definitely cheap in this part of the world – it may be just across the Mediterranean from Europe and a life similar to our own, but it a world away in culture.